-- is it french you are talking, sir? the old woman said to haines.
haines spoke to her again a longer speech, confidently.
-- irish, buck mulligan said. is there gaelic on you?
-- i thought it was irish, she said, by the sound of it. are you from west, sir?
-- i am an englishman, haines answered.
-- he's english, buck mulligan said, and he thinks we ought to speak irish in ireland.
-- sure we ought to, the old woman said, and i'm ashamed i don't speak the language myself. i'm told it's a grand language by them that knows.
-- grand is no name for it, said buck mulligan. wonderful entirely. fill us out some more tea, kinch. would you like a cup, ma'am?
-- no, thank you, sir, the old woman said, slipping the ring of the milkcan on her forearm and about to go.
haines said to her:
-- have you your bill? we had better pay her, mulligan, hadn't we?
stephen filled the three cups.
-- bill, sir? she said, halting. well, it's seven mornings a pint at twopence is seven twos is a shilling and twopence over and these three mornings a quart at fourpence is three quarts is a shilling and one and two is two and two, sir.
buck mulligan sighed and having filled his mouth with a crust thickly buttered on both sides, stretched forth his legs and began to search his trouser pockets.
-- pay up and look pleasant, haines said to him smiling.
stephen filled a third cup, a spoonful of tea colouring faintly the thick rich milk. buck mulligan brought up a florin, twisted it round in his fingers and cried:
-- a miracle!
he passed it along the table towards the old woman, saying:
-- ask nothing more of me, sweet. all i can give you i give. stephen laid the coin in her uneager hand.
-- we'll owe twopence, he said.
-- time enough, sir, she said, taking the coin. time enough. good morning, sir.
she curtseyed and went out, followed by buck mulligan's tender chant:
-- heart of my heart, were it more,
more would be laid at your feet.
he turned to stephen and said:
-- seriously, dedalus. i'm stony. hurry out to your school kip and bring us back some money. today the bards must drink and junket. ireland expects that every man this day will do his duty.